Placer mining machine



July 5, 1938. NOEL 2,122,822

PLACER MINING MACHINE F'ild Sept. 28, less 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flg-l6/0/7765 F fVaL July 5, 1938. J. F. NOEL I 2,122,322

4 PLACER MINING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2a, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lfdmesF/Voefl Patented July 5, 1938 jF' iuNI Eo STATES PATENT OFFICE James F.Noel, Rawlins, Wyo. Application September 28, 1936, Serial No. 103,021

9 Claims.

, Q'Ihis invention relates to placer machines, and theprimary purpose ofthe invention is to meet the demand fora placer mining machine of simpleconstruction, employing a minimum number of parts, especially bearingsurfaces, and one that is rugged, durable, portable and which may bemanufactured at a relatively low cost. ,With the foregoing objectoutlined and with more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

appended 1 is a top plan view of the machine, partly bfroken'away tofacilitate illustration. Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

" Fig. 4 isa longitudinal sectional view of the line 4-4 of sluice boxand screen, taken on the Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same, taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a detail of the sluicebox.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same detail.

' "Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view of adetail of amodification.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, Ill designates a stationary frame, preferablyformed of a pair of transverse channel irons ll secured to andsupporting a longitudinal channel iron I2.

A prime mover l3,

such as an internalcombustion engine is securely mounted on the frame atone end thereof. A horizontal transverse shaft I4 is rotatably mountedin bearings l5 arranged on the medial portion of the frame. means may beemployed for driving from-the engine. For example, a belt Any suitablethe shaft l6 driven by' a pulley H on the engine shaft may drive apulley l8 fixed to the shaft l4.

Another framev I9 is supported on the main frame by vertically disposedleaf springs which have their ends fixedly connected to the two frames,and the frame I9 is vibrated by means of a leaf spring pitman 2| havingone of its ends encircling and driven by an eccentric 22 on the shaft M.The other end of the pitman issecured to the frame 19 by any suitablemeans such as screws 23.

, The sluice box 24 isremovably mounted on the frame l9, and as bestshown in Fig. 5, iflies 26 are secured to the bottom of the box. Eachriflie preferably consists of an angle iron exe tending longitudinallyof the box and having its horizontal wing secured to the bottom of thebox. The vertical wings of the angle irons divide the box into a seriesof longitudinally arranged parallel channels 21, and each channelcontains undulated means 28 extending lengthwise thereof. Such meanspreferably consists of strips mounted on the horizontal wings of theangle irons and having undulated top surfaces. If two strips areemployed in each channel, they can be arranged with their ridges 29coinciding as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or the ridges of the two stripsmay alternate as shown at 30 in Figs. 8 and 9,

The undulated strips form a novel system of inclined surfaces betweenthe riflies which, due to a wedging action, prevent the material frombecoming packed. The angle of the inclined surfaces and the rapidity andamplitude of the mo.- tion are determined by the character of thematerial treated, and the undulated strips act to keep the material in aloose condition, andthis allows the heavy material, such as gold, toeasily Work its way to the bottom or to the spaces be-. tween adjacentangle irons. These spaces are occupied by toothed strips 3i which extendlengthwise of the box. Each tooth of these strips is preferably made upof vertical surfaces 32 from which inclined surfaces 33 slope downwardlyto, ward the vertical surface of preceding teeth. As the heavy materialenters the notches between the teeth, and the box reciprocateslongitudinally, the concentrate is raised by the inclined surfaces 33and is then pushed toward the outlet 34 by the vertical surfaces 32.Thus, a gradual delivery of concentrate is provided for, and it isunnecessary to make frequent clean-ups. The rate of delivery of theconcentrate is determined by the size and angle of the surfaces of thetoothed strips 3|, the size of the opening in the spout 34, the motionand the distance the material has to be lifted.

Immediately above the sluice box, I arrange a screen 35 preferably ofwire netting, and this screen has a wall 36 at three sides thereof, sothat particles placed on the screen and too large to pass therethroughmay be discharged by means of the outlet 31 at one side of the box.Material passing through the screen falls on to an impere forate sheetmetal plate 38 which is preferably connected to the frame 35' of thescreen and inclines toward one side of the box so that material dep sted n th plate can b d t ou h an ill iii

opening 39 from the plate into the sluice box. Material which travelsacross the sluice box from the opening 39 to the opposite side of thebox is delivered through an outlet 40.

By making the plate 38, the screen 35 and its frame removable from thesluice box, the whole top of the box may be uncovered to permit accessto the interior of the latter.

In operation, the substantially liquid mixture of materials containingthe metal to be concentrated is deposited on the screen, and due tovibrations caused by the rotation of the shaft l4,

some of this material will pass through the screen and land on the plate38 which will direct it toward the Opening 39. Large particles incapableof passing through the screen will be discharged at one side of themachine through the outlet 31. The material flowing through the outlet39 will first be acted upon by the rifile at one side of the box, andthen lighter materials will flow successively over the riffles untildischarged through the outlet 40. Between the riffies, the lightermaterials will be loosened and raised by the undulated strips 28, whilethe heavier metal will pass into the spaces or notches between the teethof the strips 3|, and will be fed lengthwise of the sluice boxuntil itreaches the outlet spout 34. It will be fed up and out of this spout bycontinuations'of the toothed strips 3! which extend upwardly along thespout as illustrated in Fig. 4.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be a preferred embodimentof my invention in such manner that the same may be readily understoodby those skilled in the art, I am aware that changes may be made in thedetails disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, asexpressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box provided with aseries of substantially par allel rifiles which divide the bottomportion of the box into channels arranged side by side, means forintroducing a liquid mixture of light materials and heavy materials intoone of said channels, means extending lengthwise of the channels andhaving undulated top surfaces for raising the loose material andpreventing it from packing in the channels, means for moving heaviermaterials lengthwise of the channels, and means for vibrating the box.

. 2. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box provided with aseries of substantially parallel riilles which divide the bottom portionof the box into channels arranged side by side, means for introducing aliquid mixture of light materials and heavy materials into one of saidchannels, strips extending lengthwise of the channels and havingundulated top surfaces for raising the loose material and preventing itfrom packing in the channels, means including toothed strips arranged inthe channels between the riflies and strips for moving heavier materialslengthwise of the channels, and means for vibrating the box.

3. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box, means for vibratingthe sluice box, substantially parallel rifiles arranged in the bottomportion of the box and dividing said portion into a series of channelsarranged side by side, means for depositing a liquid mixture containinglight materials and heavy materials into an outermost one of saidchannels, means for discharging light material from the oppositeoutermost one of said channels, strips extending lengthwise of thechannels and having undulated top surfaces adapted to loosen and raisesaid light material to prevent the same from packing in the channels,and toothed strips positioned in the bottom portion of the channels forfeeding heavier material lengthwise of the channels, each tooth of thetoothed strips having a substantially vertical surface and an inclinedsurface sloping downwardly from said vertical surface toward thevertical surface of a preceding tooth.

4. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box, means for vibratingthe sluice box, substantially parallel riflles arranged in the bottomportion of the box and dividing said portion into a series of channelsarranged side by side, means for depositing a liquid mixture containinglight materials and heavy materials into an outermost one of saidchannels, means for discharging light material from the oppositeoutermost one of said channels, strips extending lengthwise of thechannels and having undulated top surfaces adapted to loosen and raisesaid light material to prevent the same from packing in the channels,and toothed strips positioned in the bottom portion of the channels forfeeding heavier material lengthwise of the channels, each tooth of thetoothed strips having a substantially vertical surface and an inclinedsurface sloping downwardly from said vertical surface toward thevertical surface of a preceding tooth, said strips having alternatelyarranged ridges 5. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice boxhaving an inlet at one side and an outlet at the opposite side,substantially vertical rifiles in the bottom portion of the box "betweenthe inlet and the outlet, said rifiles dividing the bottom portion ofthe box into substantially parallel channels extending lengthwise of thebox, an outlet spout at one end of the box for discharging concentratedmaterial from the channels, strips projecting upwardly from the bottomof the box and arranged in said channels, said strips having undulatedtop surfaces and means in said channels between the rifiies and stripsfor feeding heavy material through said outlet spout.

6. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box having an inlet atone side and an outlet at the opposite side, substantially verticalriflles in the bottom portion of the box between the inlet and theoutlet, said rifiles dividing the bottom portion of the box intosubstantially parallel channels extending lengthwise of the box, anoutlet spout at one end of the box for discharging concentrated materialfrom the channels, strips projecting upwardly from the bottom of the boxand arranged in'said channels, said strips having undulated top surfacesand means in said channels between the rifiles and strips for feedingheavy material through said outlet spout, the strips being arranged inpairs in each channel.

7. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box having an inlet atone side and an outlet at the opposite side, substantially verticalriflies in the bottom portion of the box between the inlet and theoutlet, said riflles dividing the bottom portion of the box intosubstantially parallel channels extending lengthwise of the box, anoutlet spout at one end of the box for discharging concentrated materialfrom the channels, strips projecting upwardly from the bottom of the boxand arranged in said channels, said strips having undulated top surfacesand means in said channels between the riffies and strips for feedingheavy material through said outlet spout, the strips being arranged inpairs in each channel,

and the strips of each pair having alternately arranged ridges.

8. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box, means for vibratingthe box, means for introducing material to be treated into one side ofthe box, means for discharging light material from the opposite side ofthe box, substantially parallel rifiies arranged in the bottom portionof the box between the inlet and the outlet, each riffie consisting ofan angle iron having a horizontal wing spaced from adjacent rifiles, andan upstanding wing, the upstanding wings forming a series of channelsextending lengthwise of the box, an outlet spout at one end of the boxfor discharging heavier material from the channels, strips mounted onthe horizontal wings of the rifiles and extending lengthwise of saidchannels, said strips having undulated top surfaces and toothed stripson the bottom of the box positioned between the riffles for feedingheavier material lengthwise of the channels and through said outletspout.

9. A placer mining machine comprising a sluice box, means for vibratingthe box, means for introducing material to be treated into one side ofthe box, means for discharging light material from the opposite side ofthe box, substantially parallel riiiies arranged in the bottom portionof the box between the inlet and the outlet, each riffle consisting ofan angle iron having a horizontal wing spaced from adjacent riffies, andan upstanding wing, the upstanding wings forming a series of channelsextending lengthwise of the box, an outlet spout at one end of the boxfor discharging heavier material from the channels, strips mounted onthe horizontal wings of the riflies and extending lengthwise of saidchannels, said strips having undulated top surfaces, toothed strips onthe bottom of the box positioned between the riflles for feeding heaviermaterial lengthwise of the channels and through said outlet spout, aforaminous screen positioned above the sluice box, and means for guidingmaterial passing through the screen into the inlet of the sluice box.

JAMES F. NOEL.

